Thermostatic circuit-closer



(No Model.)

W. H. CHAMBERS.

THBRMCSTATIC CIRCUIT CLOSER.

No. 426,917. PatentedApr. 29, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIIILIAM H. CHAMBERS, OF FULTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH TO JESSE T. HOLMAN, OF HARRIS STATION, TENNESSEE.

TH ERMOSTATIC CIRCUIT-CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 426,917, dated April 29, 1890.

Application filed December 2l, 1889. Serial No. 334,472. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM. H. CHAM- BERS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Fulton, in the county of Fulton 5 and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermostatic OircuitsOlosers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

ro This invention relates to an. automatic circuit-closer rendered operative by an` extraordinary rise of heat or the outburst of a lire in the room or other place where it is located. The closure of the circuit operates an alarm I 5 suitably located, so that measures may be adopted immediately toward removing the source of danger. Devices of this character are well known, but depend for the Inost part upon the unequal expansion of metals or the 2o fusion of solders for theiroperation. III practice the solders are liable to yield from other causes than heat, especially when under considerable strain, while those devices which depend upon the principle of unequal expan- 2 5 sion of two Inetals require so fine an adjustment that dust and other iine deposits interfere somewhat with their reliable action.

In my device the circuit-closin g part is made of considerable power, and in its nor- 3o Inal condition of use the parts are held under considerable strain by a combustible cord, so that a false alarm is not likely to occur unless the cord is weakened by burning.

My invention embodies features of novelty which will be hereinafter fully described in this specification, and will be definitely indicated in the appended claim.

In the accompanying` drawings, which will illustrate my invention, Figure 'l is a view in 4,0 plan of my thermostatic circuit-closer. Fig.

2 is a diagrammatic viewv illustrating the manner in which it is used to control an electric circuit.

The circuit-closer comprises a base of insulating material A, provided with ears B B at the sides, perforated, as shown, to permit of the ready and secure attachment of the device to the wall of a room. On the sides of the base are firmly secured two metallic 5o spring-arms C C, the arms being so inclined or shaped as to lirmly close at the top. In order to make a reliable contact between the two arms at all times irrespective of the dust and grease deposits which are liable to settle on them in use, I give the tops of the arms a partial twist-a little less than a quarter circumfer ence being sufficient, as shown in the drawings-so that when they spring together they meet with a scraping action, which will effectually rub oif the dirt and scratch a clean 6o metallic surface, making a safe electric contact. Near the top of each spring-arm is sccured an eye D, to which Inay be secured cords E E. The lower ends of the springs are provided with binding-posts F F for the convenient attachment of the wires of the circuit to be controlled. The device Inay be connected up in any open-circuit alarm system. The cords E E are carried around the walls or ceiling of a room and supported on screw- 7o eyesl or in any other suitable Inanner,being drawn sufficiently tight to force open the arms or electrodes O O of the circuit-closer,

as shown in Fig. 2. Then the cord is weakened by lire or extraordinary heat, the tension of the arms will cause it to part, permitting a closure of the circuitfrom a suitable source of electric energy, as battery G, to an alarm apparatus located at any desired point. This alarm apparatus Inay be an electric bell 8o or an electro-mechanical gong located in another apartment of the same building; or the circuit-closer may be connected in circuit with a fire-alarm box, and thus transmit the alarm to the central station of the lire depart- S 5 ment.

The thermostat may be applied to use di rectly in hotel-annunciator systems without rewiring the building, as may be understood from an inspection of Fig. 2.

Branch wires lI H are connected to the leading-in wires of the push-buttons K K K in the various rooms and to the binding-posts of the spring-arms- They will thus form a series of open branches, any one of which when closed will give the required alarm.

An important incident resulting from the use of the combustible cord for holding the arms of the circuit-closer open is, that it can be used in places of great heat, such as boiler Ioo and lire room, kitchens of houses or dwellings, together, the free end of eaeh arm havin g a and other similar places where the high heat quarter-twist, cords attached to the arms for which exists at times, although below the real holding them normally apart, and eireuit- 15 danger-point, is aptto throw other alarms into Connections arranged as described, whereby 5 operation and raise a false alarm. the eireuit will be Closed when the arms are Having` thus described my invention, what released. I claim as new, and desire to seenre by Letters In testimony whereof I aflix my signature Patent, isin presence ol? two witnesses. A

A therinostatie eireuit-eloser Comprising' a NVILLIAM Il. CHAMBERS. [o base made of an insulating,` material, two vWitnesses:

splvingarms secured at one end to the base in lVM. I'IUNTER D'IYERS,

such manner that their free ends may spring` ALBERT SPEIDEN. 

